amarrar

To tie or moor — amarrar un barco al muelle, amarrar los cordones de los zapatos. Widely used across Latin America as the everyday equivalent of atar (which is more common in Spain for general tying), while retaining its specifically nautical sense of mooring everywhere.

• Amarraron el barco al muelle antes de la tormenta. — They tied the boat to the dock before the storm.
• No te olvides de amarrarte bien las botas. — Don't forget to tie your boots properly.
• Amarró al perro a la reja mientras compraba. — He tied the dog to the railing while he went shopping.

Assuming amarrar and atar are used identically in every region — in Spain, atar is generally the default for everyday tying, while in much of Latin America amarrar is just as common or more so; both are always correct for mooring a boat.

Often confused with atar.

• song "Amárrame" — A 2019 duet by Chilean singer Mon Laferte and Colombian artist Juanes, built around the repeated imperative amárrame ("tie me up/bind me to you") as a metaphor for consuming romantic devotion.